Front gear for vehicles.



PATENTED FEB. 5, 1907.

I G. G. STREIGH. FRONT GEAR FOR VEHICLES- APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 8. 1906.

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FRONT GEAR FOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 5, 1907.

Application filed February 8, 1906. Serial No. 300,057.

To all whomit may; (.OIL/JUI'IL. 1 Be it known that .l, CHARLES G. S'rninen, residing in Oshkosh, in the county ot' Winne- Y within which rides the upper horizontal porbago and State ot 'isconsin, have invented new and useful improvements in Front Gears for Vehicles, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part ol this specification.

This invention relates to vehicles, and has for its object to provide a front gears for tion of a U-sbaped hanger 21 for an evenerbar 22. The upper horizontal portion of the hanger 21 is sulliciently long to permit oflongitudinal movement of the hanger through the bearings 20, so as to allow the cvener-bar draft-evener which will be strong and dnrable in use and highlyeilicient in its operation, I oi the evener-har being.

while permitting quickly and easily detached to enable the horses of one vehicle to assist the horses of another vehicle when occasion requires.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the front gear for vehicles herein described and claimed, its parts and combinations ofpai ts, a n l all equivalents. p

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters ol reference indicate the sameparts in the several views, Figure l is a sectional elevation of a front gear for vehicles constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the hounds and the evener-bar with their connections. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the lock for the hanger of the evener-bar. Fig. 4 is detail view of the stop member thereof. Fig. elevation of the base member thereof. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of parts, showing a modified form of bearing for the evener-bar hanger. Fig. 7 is a similar view showing a further modification thereof. Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of the clevisbolt for the evener-bar, showing the stop in its normal position; and Fig. 9 is an elevation of the same, showing the stop in position to ermit of the removal of the clevisdiolt.

n the drawings, 12 represents the front axle of a vehicle on which the wheels 13 are mounted and to which the springs 14 are clamped in the usual manner by means of the springclamp 15, and 16 represents the frame portion of the front gear provided with the forwardly-projecting hounds 17 and the usual.

The hounds are provided on their under surfaces with hound-plates 19, and upon their u per surfaces there are bolted or otherwise 0 amped bearing-plates 20, which in the preferred construction, as shown in i igs. l and 2,'comprise elongated horizontal metal loops bolt,

to move lengthwise or transversely of the direction of draft, and it has sullieicnt vertical play within the lows ot the bearings to permit ol' rocking or til ting of the evener-bar as one end thereof is raised higher than the other. The hanger 21 has both of its ends bent horizontally in the same direction, so that they may both be entered as hooks into eyes or openings in upwardly-extending brackets 23 on the evener-bar by the some movement, both ends entering the brackets from the same side.

in order that the hooked ends of the hanger may not accidentally slip out of their engagement with the brackets 23, one of said brackets is provided with a locking means to be swung into the path of the end of the hanger which engages it and thus prevent its withdrawal. The locking means comprises a stop 24, which is pivotally mounted upon a pin 25 between a pair of upstanding cars 26 on this bracket, the stop being loosely mounted on the pin and being pressed by a coil-spring 27, surrounding the pin so as to force a )rojecting rib 28-011 its hub into a cor responding groove 29 in the car 26. This ongagement takes place both in the closed position of the stop, where it stands in the path of the end 01" hanger 21, and in the open position thereof, so as to hold the stop iii-either of these positions against accidental dis placement. The hanger 21 besides having its loose sliding connection from the bearingplates 20 may swing as a crank so as to allow of forward and rearward movcmen ts of the evener-bar and also upward and downward movements thereof.

The evenerbar at its middle portion is connected by means of a pair of chains 30 with the axle 12 near its ends, the chains usually connecting with the clamps 15, as shown, and the connection between the chains and the evener-bar is preferably made by means slotted at its end and has a stop 33, slidable in such a manner upon a pin 34, connecting its l'urcatc portions, that it may stand approximately at right angles to the bolt Fig. 8, and thus preventthe removal of the or it may stand approximately in aline as shown in IIO gitudinal slot 35 thereof to m'ent with the bolt, asshown in Fig. 9, so as to permit of the free removal of the bolt. The stop 33 slide and bring the pin to t to rounded end of the stop, where said stop may hang in aline.

nieut with the bolt, as shown in Fig. 9, or to bring the. pin near the other end the stop, where the end of the slot is sulliciently dishas the pin 23% passing through a lonpermit the stop to taut from the end of the stop to cause the stop to be held approximately horizontal, as

shown in Fig. 8, the slot being slightly oll'set at this cut to prevent. the stop ruling on the pin accidentally.

In the niohiication shown in Fig. 6 the bearings 20 on the hot'm'l's lor the evcnerbar hanger instead of being in the shape of an elongated loop, as in the construction above described, are of a U shape, terminating in upstanding ends 35 to limit the sliding movement of the hanger 21 thereon, while in the modified form shown in Fig. 7 the corresponding bearing-plates 20 arenicrely llat strips, and the bolts 36 securing them to the hounds have their heads projecting above the bearing-plate to constitute means for accomolisning the same purpose.

The evener-bar mounted in accordance with this. invention is entirely free to move in different directions to compensate for inequalities in the draft. l urthe'rmore, by locating the bearings for the evener-bar hangers above the bounds instead of beneath them the evener-bar may be brought closer to the bounds, for it is not necessary to pro vide for a bracket or bearing-loop between them.

Another advantageous feature of this invention is the means by which the evenerbar is made quickly removable to enable the horses of one vehicle to assist those oi'another vehicle, it being only necessary to lift the stop 24 and swing it back out of the path of the hanger 21, so that the evener-bar may be moved oil of the ends of the hanger and to disconnect the evener-bari'rom the chains 30 by merely sliding the stop 33 through the clevis-bolt until it hangs in the position shown in Fig. 9, when the clevis-bolt may be withdrawn and the clevis removed. Obviously the parts may be reassembled with equal l'arility, and there is no liability of members becoming lost or misplaced.

The term bearing-plate as herein used is intended to have a broad meaning to include not only the forms shown in the draw ings, but also such obvious substitutions as eyebolts and the like. on thehounds through which the.v hanger may be fitted. Furthermore, the shoulders or stops at the ends of ,the bearing-plates may be dispensed with when desired and llat plates, as s iown in Fig. 7, may be employed without the upwardlyrojecting bolt-heads, the chains 30 being reied upon to keep the hanger in place.

What'l claim as my invention is- 1. In afront gear for vehicles, a frame havmg hounds, bearing-plates on top of the hounds provided with shoulders at their ends. forming stops, a hanger mounted 011 the bearing-plates and capable of moving between the stops, an evener-bar swinging from the hanger beneath the hounds, and means for connecting the evener-bar with the axle of the vehicle.

2. In a front gear for vehicles, a frame having hounds, bearingplates on the hounds, a hanger mounted on the bearing-plates and capable of moving thereon, an evener-bar having means for releasably engagingthe hanger whereby it is suspended beneath the hounds, means for preventing accidental disengagement of the hanger from the evenerbar, and means connecting the evener-bar with the axle of the vehicle.

3. In a front gear for vehicles, a frame having hounds, bearing-plates on the hounds, a

i hanger mounted on the bearing-plates and capable of moving thereon, said hanger having its ends projectin in the same direction to form engaging hoo is, an evener-bar provided with eyes to receive the hooked ends of the hanger whereby the evener-bar is susiended beneath the bounds by means of the hanger, a movable stop ada' ted to stand in the path of one of the ends 0 the hanger and irevent its removal from the eye of the eveneror, and means for connecting the evener-bar with the axle of the vehicle.

4. In a front gear for vehicles, a framehaving hounds, bearing-plates on the hounds, a hanger mounted on the bearin -plates and capable of moving thereon, said hanger having its ends projecting in the same direction to form engaging hooks, an evener-bar provided with eyes to receive the hooked ends of the hanger whereby the evener is sus ended beneath the hounds by means of the ianger, a pivoted stop on the evener-bar adapted in one position to standin the path of the hanger and prevent its removal from the eyes of the evener-bar and adapted in another position to be removed from the path of the hanger so as to permit of its removal from the eyes of the evener-b'ar, means for holding the stop in its positions, and means for connecting the evener-bar with the axle of the vehicle.

5. in a front gear for Vehicles, aframehaving hounds, bearing-plates on the hounds, a hanger mounted on' the bearing-plates and capable of moving thereon, said hanger having its ends projecting in the same direction to form engaging hooks, an evener-bar, brackets on the evencr-bar provided with eyes for receiving the hooked ends of the hanger, projecting ears on one of the. brackets, a pin connecting said ears, a stop pivotally mounted on the pin and adapted in one position to stand in thepath of the hanger and prevent its removal from the eyes of the brackets, a

1 said ear and the catch to hold the catch with spring pressing the catch toward one of the ears, and a rib-and-slot connection between pressure in the said position, and means for connecting the evener-bar with the axle of l the vehicle. I

6. in a front gear for velncles, a frame havmg hounds, bearing-plates on top of the constitute shoulders or stops, a hanger mounted onthe bearing-plates and capable of moving between the stops, an evener-bar swingaxle of the vehicle.

7. 111 a front gear for vehicles, a frame hav- 4 ing hounds, bearing-plates on top of the hounds comprising elongated horizontal loops with their ends forming shoulders 01' stops, a hanger mounted in the loops of the bearing-plates and capable of moving between the stops, an evener-bar swinging from the hanger beneath the hounds, and means for connecting the evener-bar with the axle of the vehicle.

8. In a front gear for Vehicles, a frame having hounds, bearing-plates on top of the hounds, a hanger mounted on the bearingplates, an CVBIIGT-btll swinging from the hanger beneath the hounds, and means for colmecting the evener-bar with the axle of the vehicle.

9. In a front gear for vehicles, a frame havging hounds, bearing-plates on top of the hounds with their ends bent upwardly to ing from the hanger beneath the hounds, and means for connecting the evener-bar with the proximately at rig hounds, a hanger mounted on the bearingplates and capable of moving thereon, an evener bar iletachably connected to the hanger and suspended thereby beneath the hounds, a clevis having a bolt connecting it with the evener-bar, said bolt being provided with a slidable sto capable of a position apfit angles to the bolt and of another position in alinement with the bolt, and chains connecting the clevis with the axle of the vehicle.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES G. STREICH.

Witnesses:

it 8. C. CALDWELL, ANNA F. SCHMIDTBAUER, 

